RESUMO
In May 2013, Italy declared a national outbreak of hepatitis A, which also affected several foreign tourists who had recently visited the country. Molecular investigations identified some cases as infected with an identical strain of hepatitis A virus subgenotype IA. After additional European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries reported locally acquired and travel-related cases associated with the same outbreak, an international outbreak investigation team was convened, a European outbreak case definition was issued and harmonisation of the national epidemiological and microbiological investigations was encouraged. From January 2013 to August 2014, 1,589 hepatitis A cases were reported associated with the multistate outbreak; 1,102 (70%) of the cases were hospitalised for a median time of six days; two related deaths were reported. Epidemiological and microbiological investigations implicated mixed frozen berries as the vehicle of infection of the outbreak. In order to control the spread of the outbreak, suspected or contaminated food batches were recalled, the public was recommended to heat-treat berries, and post-exposure prophylaxis of contacts was performed. The outbreak highlighted how large food-borne hepatitis A outbreaks may affect the increasingly susceptible EU/EEA general population and how, with the growing international food trade, frozen berries are a potential high-risk food.
Assuntos
Surtos de Doenças , Contaminação de Alimentos , Doenças Transmitidas por Alimentos/epidemiologia , Frutas/intoxicação , Vírus da Hepatite A/genética , Hepatite A/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Pré-Escolar , Busca de Comunicante , Estudos Epidemiológicos , Europa (Continente)/epidemiologia , União Europeia , Feminino , Doenças Transmitidas por Alimentos/diagnóstico , Doenças Transmitidas por Alimentos/virologia , Alimentos Congelados/intoxicação , Alimentos Congelados/virologia , Frutas/virologia , Hepatite A/virologia , Vírus da Hepatite A/isolamento & purificação , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Two family outbreaks of botulism (a total of nine cases) were identified in south-east and northern France in early September 2011. The source of infection was considered to be a ground green olive paste. Botulinum type A toxin was identified in seven cases and in the incriminated olive paste. Incorrect sterilisation techniques were observed at the artisanal producer's workshop. These episodes highlight the potential public health threat of Clostridium botulinum linked to inadequate sterilisation of food products.